April 2012

April Newsletter 2012

Letter from the Presidentby Paul Robear

As my previous letters indicate, there is much good news to share! We continue to hear from people around the world, expressing interest and sharing the positive impact that the Cuyamungue Method is having on their lives. Also, our web presence continues to grow, with significant increases in traffic with over 2,000 pages viewed each week. In the last month our web visitors came from over ten countries including, Hong Kong, Australia, UK, France, Mexico, Colombia, Austria, and Germany. Over sixty percent of our web traffic is from visitors new to the site. This confirms the value of our on-going work of strengthening our web presence and making the experience of the Cuyamungue Method more accessible.

At the heart of the Institute is its extraordinary method of opening the natural, safe, and time-tested physiological door to direct experience of an expanded reality. If you have not yet experienced the ritual postures, we invite you to join us. The summer workshops are the perfect opportunity to go deep and experience the healing that comes from this practice. And, just spending time on the land of the Institute has its own power. We are stewards of the natural beauty and tranquility of 280 acres in New Mexico’s rolling hills and ancestral pueblo lands. Our complex of small, rustic, traditionally-built adobe buildings adds to the experience as the land comes alive, as a powerful force that cultivates an intimate sense of belonging in the natural world, and taking a step or two closer to the ancient ones.

In addition to the direct experience provided by the postures, the catalyst energizing our mission and programs is our commitment to encouraging greater public engagement to share the power and effectiveness of the Cuyamungue Method. This commitment is what energizes us and our institution every day, in everything we do.

Please feel free to contact us. We welcome all correspondence and hope you will visit us at Cuyamungue: The Felcitas D. Goodman Institute! Email me directly at [email protected] .

From the Desk of Dr. Goodman. Forwarded by Diana Scott, who notes: “When I was editing the newsletter I used to call Felicitas to see if she would like to say anything to the readers. The following excerpt is the result of a conversation in October of 2003. I thought some of you who have not seen it might be interested as she talks about the trance experience. ”

Dear Friends, A part of life that gives me great joy now is to savor all the unexpected coincidences of life. These happenings give me the feeling of being tied into a circle of thoughts and experiences. At times I feel like grandmother spider sitting next to my desk answering wonderful calls from places like the Amazon River or New Mexico or Alaska. Yesterday I was sitting at my desk looking out into my yard and I thought about how it has changed faces over the years, from green grass to blooming tree, then a rose, and, eventually, the white snow. All these changes take place over time however I do not feel them in myself. Although I am old and almost blind I can easily slip into the time when I was a teenager. I never feel lonely and don‘t want to analyze why that is the case. It seems as natural as the air that surround me. It is not a conscious decision. There is a small drum in my house that I touch when I go by and it says boom, a natural thing for a drum to do and not to be analyzed.

In the same way, when one experiences trance time, aging and an orderly progression of events do not seem to matter. When the trancer tries to recollect the details in the ordinary state of consciousness they often try to impose an “orderly” history on the event. However change in the alternate reality is not a linear one, not a continuing process, where one event is added another one like beads on a necklace. Instead the events are present in the sense that once they happened, they did not vanish, but became forever suspended in a dimension that has neither past nor future.
In loving regard , from your friend, Felicitas

Student Building kitchen: we need your help. While it has served us well, it is time for some upgrades and replacements to the kitchen area. The stove has only one dependable burner, and the sink gray water system is broken and unfortunately drains down to the doorway of Kiva East. That pipe will need to be dug up and replaced. When it was working properly, the sink’s gray water directly supported our garden area. So, we are requesting donations to make these repairs – any amount will help. Depending on the budget, here is a list of repairs and upgrades:

New Kitchen Stove

Replace and upgrade gray water system

Rearrange and add additional kitchen cabinets and counter tops

One hundred percent of any donations collected will be used for the kitchen as well as additional repairs needed in the Student Building. We also will be repairing a small leak that recently appeared in the building. You choose the amount… every dollar helps. To make it simple, we are using Paypal to collect donations. Simply click on the button below and it will guide you with a few easy-to-follow steps. The Cuyamungue Institute is registered as a 501(c)(3) charity under the United States Internal Revenue Code, so your donation may be tax-deductible. If you need help or have questions please contact us at [email protected] – Thank you!

If you prefer, you may also mail us a check. Either way we truly appreciate your support!

Find it Fast. We have added a search box at the top of the right column of the Cuyamungue website. This should make a better overall experience when you visit our site. Whether you are looking for a specific information, subject, or author on the Cuyamungue website, find it fast with our search engine. http://www.cuyamungueinstitute.com/

Update from Chile. In the last issue, Margaret O’Rourke in Chile reported they are researching various Mapuche figures as possible ritual postures. This ancient civilization that still exists today in the South of Chile. The name Mapuche literally means people of the earth. She has provided images which I added to her description. http://www.cuyamungueinstitute.com/articles-and-news/the-woman-of-choroy-chile/

Should you decide to try this posture, we would love to hear your experiences and we will share them with Margaret and her group.. [email protected]

Upcoming Workshop Schedule. If you been waiting to register for a workshop at the Institute this summer, now is the time to act. Reserve your space today. Direct experience is a path to transformation. Participants report that these workshops expand personal power and strengthen inner guidance that can be life changing. Make your plans now, come experience the special power of the land and enjoy the benefits of going deep into the posture experiences.

Bear Spirit Posture. One of the “original” postures discovered by Dr. Goodman. The Bear Spirit Posture provides a consistently strong experience of healing when utilized in ecstatic trance. Dr. Goodman notes “It was obvious that the small shaman embraced from the back by a mighty ‘Bear Spirit’ represented a religious scene and the ecstatic smile of the bear’s protégé, so familiar to me from people in trance…”

Human Body as an Antenna. The physical body is a multi-faceted antenna system. Placing the body in certain ritualistic postures helps us “tune-in” to certain frequencies. This article explores the idea that similar to an antenna, as we hold our body in different positions, it will affect which frequencies it receives.

Yoga and Shamanism and Ecstatic Trance Postures. Both Yoga and Shamanism offer a ways for people to become aware of their potential, and begin to explore their spiritual relationship to the universe, to other forms of life, and to each other. The experiences which come from these practices help a person to evolve a deeper bond and respect for all of creation, and from this perspective you are likely to lead a life which is vibrant and full in harmony and balance, and which encourages understanding and optimism.